Scoutmaster has proven to be a worthy fundraiser

Ken Grimm/Standard-Times Rick Reeve presents Rudy Perez Jr. with his heroism medal at the Boy Scouts of America annual banquet and awards ceremony in February. Perez was honored with the Heroism Award for his actions in saving the life of a 3-year-old boy in a swimming pool.

SAN ANGELO, Texas - When Rick Reeve came to the Concho Valley Boy Scout Council as scoutmaster in March 2010, he had a daunting task ahead of him — leading and fundraising for a council that covers 24 counties in southwest Texas, with more than 2,600 youth participants.

But the council, now named the Texas Southwest Council, is proud to have not just a hardworking person in their highest position, but a dynamic fundraiser as well. Recently, Reeve was a presenter at the Association of Professional Fundraisers' International Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The conference, attended by more than 3,000 fundraisers, is an educational experience that "invigorates and inspires, provides perspective and learning," said Andrew Watt, CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, on the organization's blog.

Raising $1.2 million in the two years he's been in San Angelo, Reeve was able to speak about fundraising challenges from a West Texas perspective in his 90-minute presentation, which, after an introduction of what Boy Scouts is all about, dealt with rebounding from natural catastrophes that the council endured last year.

"Twenty-six tornadoes in Oklahoma, and drought and wildfires in West Texas, affected our fundraising opportunities," Reeve said, noting that a larger percentage of contributors are ranchers or businesses tied to agriculture.

Fundraising for the council last year was down $50,000, Reeve said.

"We recognized in the second quarter that with what Mother Nature was dealing us, it was going to be a challenge," he said.

The council held the All-American AutoGroup Boy Scout Golf Classic, which officials intend to make an annual event, on Halloween last year.

"It allowed us to get donations from people who were not previously supporters," he said.

Enough was raised from the event to offset the $50,000, but then popcorn sales were down $30,000 last year.

"We contacted 10 prospects and asked them to help make up the difference," Reeve said.

At the conference, Reeve said he also talked about the cause and effect of fundraising and relationships.

Those relationships vary from the CEO of the largest oil company in America to underprivileged families asking for help for their child to get into scouting.

"I could be asking an oil investor for $1 million, then four hours later, I'm asking for $10 of support for a family to get involved in scouting," Reeve said.

"They give to the person first, and the organization second," he said, which is why he instituted the "I See 5" campaign.

The premise behind the campaign is that each person on the board speaks to five people about fundraising, and then those five people each speak to five more.

"The Boy Scouts of America is a great brand," he said. "The majority of everybody has heard about the Boy Scouts of America. Now, more are hearing about the Texas Southwest Council."

Board members are more than pleased with the work Reeve is doing.

"He is a fresh face," said Don Griffis, the council's vice president of finance and scoutmaster for Troop 1.

"He came from outside the council, outside the state," Griffis said. "He's really taken the position to heart."

"He's added a level of intensity to scouting, and people are responding," he said.

A Boy Scout since he was in third grade, Reeve earned the rank of Eagle Scout while living in Iowa, as part of the Mid-America Council.

He played football at Northwest Missouri State University and planned to be a coach and teacher. The Boy Scouts had other plans for him.

"I got put on 'the list' to be a professional Scout," he said, and got hired by the Boy Scouts in November 1997.

At 38, Reeve has moved up the proverbial ladder quickly.

"It's neat to move quickly," he said, "but I may not have experienced a lot of the opportunities others deal with over time."

The quick move up the ladder did not affect Reeve's ability to know what needs to be done, and to do it.

When he first arrived in San Angelo, Reeve worked on board development and a strategic plan process. The current board has 42 members, and they are working to fill more positions with people throughout the region.

"This council is the size of South Carolina," Reeve said, "We can't run this council from here in San Angelo."

Even with an increased number of board members, Reeve still put 45,000 miles on his car last year, and spent 60 nights away from home visiting throughout the council.

Those nights away were not all expenses for the council.

"The Ramada Inn-Del Rio donates 10 rooms a year," Reeve said, and board members often invite him to stay in their home.

"It's not always the cash that makes us successful, it also is the gifts-in-kind," he said.

To help alleviate travel expenses, Reeve rewrote bylaws to allow video and teleconferencing.

"We don't expect board members from Carrizo Springs (240 miles from San Angelo) to attend every meeting," he said.

Reeve also has been instrumental in the formation of the Development Club, including Angelo State University, the Area Foundation, Girl Scouts and the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, whose representatives meet monthly to talk about what they're all doing.

"We're going after the same dollars," he said, "but we all know that the money that's put aside for Boy Scouts is not the same as the money put aside for the museum."

Reeve also is a believer in sharing resources.

"We have as many Girl Scouts using our horses as Boy Scouts," he said. "We have the resources, let's use them."

This summer, the Boy Scouts will collaborate with the Boys & Girls Club for a summer program at San Angelo's Camp Baden Powell.

With the council's Endowment Campaign, 25 percent of every dollar donated is going into the program's future.

"In today's world, you never know which groups are going to fund you, which groups are going to be new, who's going to renew," he said.

While Reeve has not been in fundraising positions for his entire career, positions he's held before this one have prepared him for the challenges of the Scout executive position.

Yet he still credits activities from his youth for his success.

"Scouting, Future Farmers of America and football have turned me into the businessman that I am," he said.